ARTICLES ABOUT MIKE DUNLEAVY BY DATE - PAGE 4

SAN FRANCISCO - Any fallout from Carlos Boozer saying he would like to play fourth-quarter minutes matters not to coach Tom Thibodeau, who would play Benny the Bull if he thought it offered the best chance at victory. "This is four years now; I'm not changing," Thibodeau said in reference to his tenure with the Bulls. "I'm going with the guys I think give us the best chance to win. And I don't care who they are. When we hit that six-minute mark, it's based on what we're doing and what we need.

SAN FRANCISCO - Joakim Noah looked upset. Not fly-off-the-handle, expletive-laced gesturing at officials upset but bothered nonetheless. As he and Taj Gibson walked to the Bulls' bench for a third-quarter timeout during Tuesday night's unlikely victory over the Suns, Noah directed some pointed words at Gibson. An incredulous-looking Gibson responded in kind, denying his role as the culprit in a blown defensive coverage. The timeout ended. Gibson and Noah took the court, still scowling.

PHOENIX - Mike Dunleavy either doesn't do social media or is very into game preparation. After Tuesday night's victory over the Suns, the Bulls' forward claimed he hadn't heard that Kings center DeMarcus Cousins called him "a clown" late Monday night in Sacramento. The players' history dates to last season, when Cousins got ejected for elbowing Dunleavy, then with the Bucks, in the head. "He called me a clown?" Dunleavy said. "I would like to respond but clowns can't talk. So I'll mime or make him some animal balloons or something.

NEW ORLEANS - Less than three weeks from the NBA's Feb. 20 trade deadline, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau knows executives John Paxson and Gar Forman are receiving calls. "The way that works is, when something gets close, they will come to me," Thibodeau said. "But every conversation they're having I don't know about, nor do I want to know about. It's important for me to focus on the guys we do have. " Veterans Kirk Hinrich and Mike Dunleavy are considered the most likely to go. Hinrich looked sharp Wednesday in San Antonio after a four-game absence for a hamstring injury.

It's an odd night when TNT drops a broadcast because Kobe Bryant and Derrick Rose are in street clothes. It's an odder night when Tom Thibodeau can't remember from where his game-winning play call came. And it's the oddest night when Taj Gibson is the first option on that play call for his first-ever game-winner - at any level. "Option two?" inbounder Mike Dunleavy cracked. "Probably call a timeout. " The Bulls downed the Lakers 102-100 in overtime on Monday night at the United Center, improving to .500 (20-20)

WASHINGTON - The Bulls are struggling enough defensively these last few games that giving opponents points is recipe for disaster. Then again, the three-point play John Wall converted after a third-quarter turnover is only a present for those who like spectacular highlights. What Wall did - flipping the ball blindly over his head as Mike Dunleavy pulled him down - will be repeated for ages. The Wizards prevailed 96-93 Friday night at Verizon Center, scoring 25 points off 15 Bulls' turnovers.

Mike Dunleavy turned down more lucrative free-agent offers last summer to come off the bench, knock down jumpers alongside Derrick Rose and play for a winning team for the first time in his 11-year career. A potential one out of three isn't bad. Rose is injured. And now that Luol Deng has been traded, Dunleavy is starting. At 17-18, the Bulls could be headed to the playoffs with Dunleavy, for what would be just his third trip to the postseason. "This definitely isn't what any of us envisioned at the start of this season," Dunleavy said.

MILWAUKEE - Another day, another media blow-off by Joakim Noah, who has not spoken publicly since the Bulls traded his friend and former teammate, Luol Deng, to Cleveland. It was believed that he would address the media - all of four Chicago-based reporters - after the Bulls' Friday morning shootaround at the Bradley Center. But Noah told a team official that he would remain mute. It begs the question: Just how angry is Noah? And is his silent act hindering the Bulls in their effort to turn the page on the deal?

SportsDirect Inc. Preview: Hawks at Bulls The Atlanta Hawks won't have long to dwell on a crushing defeat when they travel to Chicago to visit the Bulls in the second night of a back-to-back on Saturday. The Hawks let a 15-point lead with less than seven minutes left slip away in a 101-100 home loss to the Golden State Warriors on Friday but likely won't have to worry about that sort of quick offense with the Bulls. Chicago ranks last in the NBA in scoring average but has won four of six. Atlanta moved Pero Antic into the starting lineup on Friday and was rewarded with career highs of 16 points and four 3-pointers from the big man. Antic's range on the outside will be a key to loosening up the Bulls' strong interior defense.

Bulls 91, Hawks 84: Mike Dunleavy led the way with 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting off the bench as Chicago held off visiting Atlanta. Luol Deng collected 17 points and 11 rebounds while Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson each recorded 10 points and 12 boards for the Bulls. D.J. Augustin chipped in 11 points and seven assists in a reserve role for Chicago, which has won five of its last seven. Paul Millsap had 16 points and 12 rebounds and Jeff Teague also scored 16 points for the Hawks.